U.S. patent application number 11/528806 was filed with the patent office on 2007-12-20 for apparatus for holding nasal tubes.
Invention is credited to Deborah L. Masella, Stephen J. Masella.
Application Number | 20070289597 11/528806 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38860380 |
Filed Date | 2007-12-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070289597 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Masella; Stephen J. ; et
al. |
December 20, 2007 |
Apparatus for holding nasal tubes
Abstract
The present invention relates to a nasal tube holder comprising
a conformable body having a nose section and a forehead section, at
least one means for holding at least one nasal tube inserted into a
patient's nose to the conformable body, and at least one means for
holding the conformable body to a patient's forehead. Also
disclosed is a method for securing at least one nasal tube to a
patient's nose and forehead.
Inventors: |
Masella; Stephen J.;
(Wallingford, CT) ; Masella; Deborah L.;
(Wallingford, CT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Robert M. Amici
31 Fosgate Road
Berlin
MA
01503
US
|
Family ID: |
38860380 |
Appl. No.: |
11/528806 |
Filed: |
September 28, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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60814128 |
Jun 17, 2006 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
128/207.18 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61M 2210/0618 20130101;
A61M 2210/0618 20130101; A61M 2025/0226 20130101; A61M 25/02
20130101; A61M 2230/005 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
128/207.18 |
International
Class: |
A61M 15/08 20060101
A61M015/08 |
Claims
1. A nasal tube holder comprising: a) a conformable body having a
nose section and a forehead section, b) at least one means for
holding at least one nasal tube inserted into a patient's nose to
the conformable body; and c) at least one means for holding the
conformable body to a patient's forehead.
2. The nasal tube holder of claim 1, wherein the conformable body
substantially conforms to the patient's nose and forehead.
3. The nasal tube holder of claim 1, comprising at least two means
for holding the nasal tube to the conformable body.
4. The nasal tube holder of claim 3, wherein the nose section and
the forehead section each comprise at least one means for holding
the nasal tube.
5. The nasal tube holder of claim 4, wherein the nose section
comprises at least two means for holding the nasal tube.
6. The nasal tube holder of claim 1, wherein the means for holding
the nasal tube is a removable band.
7. The nasal tube holder of claim 1, wherein the nose section
further comprises at least one flexible pad between the nose
section and the patient's nose.
8. The nasal tube holder of claim 1, wherein the means for holding
the conformable body to the patient's forehead is a gauze headband
attached to the forehead section.
9. The nasal tube holder of claim 1, wherein the forehead section
further comprises at least two slots and wherein the means for
holding the conformable body to the patient's forehead is an
adjustable strap inserted through the two slots.
10. The nasal tube holder of claim 1, wherein the forehead section
further comprises at least one protective pad between the forehead
section and the patient's forehead.
11. The nasal tube holder of claim 1, wherein the forehead section
further comprises at least one adhesive pad.
12. The nasal tube holder of claim 1, wherein the conformable body
is a flexible metal or plastic.
13. The nasal tube holder of claim 12, wherein the flexible metal
is aluminum.
14. The nasal tube holder of claim 1, wherein the conformable body
has an adjustable length.
15. The nasal tube holder of claim 1, wherein the nose section has
a shape and length substantially similar to the patient's nose and
wherein the forehead section has a length substantially similar to
the patient's forehead and a width substantially similar to the
patient's nose.
16. The nasal tube holder of claim 1, wherein the conformable body
further comprises a covering means for the nasal tube.
17. The nasal tube holder of claim 1, wherein the nasal tube is a
naso-gastric tube, a naso-jejunum tube, or a nasal canula.
18. A method for securing at least one nasal tube to a patient's
nose and forehead comprising, in any order, the steps of: a)
inserting at least one nasal tube into the patient, b)
substantially conforming a conformable body to the patient's nose
and forehead, c) attaching the nasal tube to the conformable body,
and d) attaching the conformable body to the patient's forehead.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Patent Application No. 60/814,128, filed Jun. 17, 2006.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to medical devices capable of
holding nasal tubes in place.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Medical tubes are often used to provide an unobstructed
pathway into a patient. For example, a naso-gastric tube is
inserted into the patient's nose down the esophagus and into the
stomach to provide a method of feeding the patient, delivering
medication, or keeping the stomach decompressed. A naso-jejunum
tube, which is inserted in a similar manner through the stomach and
into the patient's jejunum, enables the patient to be fed directly
into their intestines. These tubes are often mercury weighted in
order to be monitored radiologically for proper insertion
depth.
[0006] Nasal tubes are often inserted and left in place for an
extended period of time. Movement by the patient during sleep or
under other circumstances, such as coming out of anesthesia,
sometimes causes the tubes to move out of position. Also, small
children, particularly those that are mentally challenged, may not
understand the importance of the tubes and may attempt to pull them
out. However, unlike other types of tubes, such as those used for
respiration, repositioning of nasal tubes can be extremely time
consuming and medically stressful on the patient. For this reason,
nasal tubes must be securely fastened to the patient in order to
ensure that they are not inadvertently removed or disturbed.
[0007] A variety of techniques are known for securing nasal tubes.
For example, adhesive tape can be used to attach the tube to the
patient's face. However, movement of the tube could cause tearing
or detachment of the tape, and constant replacement with new tape
can cause skin irritation. Also, securing the tubing with tape to
the patient's cheek often results in indentations on their skin
from the tubing that can lead to skin breakdown. Furthermore, many
patients requiring nasal tubes are malnourished, which can
substantially compromise their integumentary system, making them
more susceptible to skin breakdown with a decreased ability for
recovery.
[0008] Furthermore, several devices have been described for this
purpose. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,046,989, 5,172,688, and
5,833,663 describe a flexible or moldable nose piece that includes
a mechanism for holding a tube underneath a patient's nose. U.S.
Pat. Nos. 4,120,304, 4,932,943, and 4,986,815 also describe strips
that fit over the patient's nose and include a clamping type device
to secure the tube. However, for each of these, the nasal tube
inserted into the patient remains under the nose, which would
partially obstruct the patient's mouth. Since some patients also
require medical tubing inserting either into the mouth (such as an
endotracheal tube) or, for respiratory conditions, placed under the
nose, obstruction by the nasal tube would be an issue. Furthermore,
nasal tubes under the nose would be more easily dislodged or moved
by a patient.
[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 4,702,736 describes a universal clamp that can
be used for securing a nasal tube to a patient's forehead. Also,
related U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,738,622, and 4,838,878 further describe
the use of a nosepiece in conjunction with the universal claim.
However, such a two-piece system would be complicated to use and
would require alignment of the individual parts by medical
staff.
[0010] Therefore, there is a need for a simple, comfortable, one
piece apparatus that would be capable of securely fastening nasal
tubes to a patient without the problems described above.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] The present invention relates to a nasal tube holder
comprising a conformable body having a nose section and a forehead
section, at least one means for holding at least one nasal tube
inserted into a patient's nose to the conformable body; and at
least one means for holding the conformable body to a patient's
forehead.
[0012] The present invention further relates to a method for
securing at least one nasal tube to a patient's nose and forehead
comprising, in any order, the steps of inserting at least one nasal
tube into the patient, substantially conforming a conformable body
to the patient's nose and forehead, attaching the nasal tube to the
conformable body, and attaching the conformable body to the
patient's forehead.
[0013] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general
description and the following detailed description are exemplary
and explanatory only and are intended to provide further
explanation of the present invention, as claimed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B are front and side views, respectively,
of one embodiment of the nasal tube holder of the present
invention.
[0015] FIG. 2 shows one embodiment of the nasal tube holder of the
present invention on a patient.
[0016] FIG. 3 is a front view of another embodiment of the nasal
tube holder of the present invention.
[0017] FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B are front and side views, respectively,
of another embodiment of the nasal tube holder of the present
invention.
[0018] FIG. 5 is a front view of another embodiment of the nasal
tube holder of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0019] The present invention relates to devices for securing
medical tubes to a patient, particularly nasal tubes.
[0020] The nasal tube holder of the present invention comprises a
conformable body having a nose section and a forehead section. By
"conformable" is meant that this nasal tube holder is moldable to
the shape and profile of the patient's nose and forehead. Thus, the
conformable body may be flat but can be bent or molded along its
length and/or width as needed to substantially conform to the
patient, thereby providing the greatest fit and maximum comfort.
Suitable conformable materials include flexible or pliable metals
such as aluminum or copper and various plastics, particularly those
that can be formed or bent at temperatures above room temperature
but which are solid or non-conformable at room temperature. The
conformable body should also be thin in order to provide maximum
conformability and minimal bulk and weight but thick enough to
provide sufficient rigidity. Preferably the conformable body has a
thickness less than or equal to 5 mm and more preferably less than
or equal to 2 mm and a width of less than about 4 cm, preferably
less than about 3 cm, and more preferably less than about 2 cm.
[0021] The surface of the conformable body can also be smooth or
polished in order to provide increased comfort and protection.
Also, the surface of the conformable material may be coated with a
thin layer of material, such as a soft plastic coating. Such
coatings are preferably used when the conformable body is a
flexible metal, thereby protecting the metal and the patient.
[0022] The conformable body has a length that extends from the
patient's nose to the patient's forehead, preferably to the
hairline. For example, the length of the conformable body may be
between about 5 cm and about 25 cm long, preferably between about 5
cm and about 20 cm long, and more preferably between about 8 cm and
about 15 cm long. Preferably, the length is adjustable in order to
provide a more universal fit to suit the needs of both younger or
smaller patients as well as adults. A variety of different means
for adjusting the length of the conformable body may be used. For
example, the conformable body may comprise two overlapping sections
where the amount of overlap is varied in order to adjust the
overall length of the conformable body. One of the overlapping
sections may comprise an attachment means, such as at least one
snap or button, and the other overlapping section may comprise
various attachment sites to which these attachment means can be
attached. By attaching one overlapping section to the other at
different locations, the length of the conformable body can be
adjusted. In addition, the conformable body may comprise two
sections wherein one section can be inserted into or over the
second section, allowing the sections to slide relative to each
other. The sliding sections may further comprise a means for
locking the sliding sections in place after the adjustment is made.
Other known means of adjustment can also be used.
[0023] As described above, the conformable body comprises a nose
section and a forehead section that are connected to each other.
The nose section is placed over the nose of the patient, and
preferably does not require any means of attachment to the patient.
However, the nose section preferably further comprises at least one
means for attaching the nasal tube to the conformable body, which
is described in more detail below. The nose section generally has a
shape, a length, and/or a width substantially similar to the
patient's nose. For example, the nose section may be rounded or
spoon-shaped in order to fit securely over the tip of the nose.
Moreover, the nose section may further comprise at least one wing
or tab along both sides that is bent or curved downward relative to
the plane of the nose section in order to fit around the nose of
the patient. Alternatively, the nose section may be flat,
preferably including at least one wing or tab, and can be conformed
to fit the curve of the patient's nose. The nose section may also
comprise at least one flexible or soft pad attached to the side of
the conformable body to be in contact with the patient, for added
comfort and increased stability. Any pad known in the art can be
used, including foam or cotton.
[0024] The forehead section of the conformable body is placed onto
the patient's forehead and preferably further comprises at least
one means for attaching the conformable body to the patient, which
is discussed in more detail below. The forehead section may further
comprise at least one protective pad attached to the side to be in
contact with the patient. This protective pad may be any of those
known in the art, including gauze or foam, that are capable of
protecting the skin against abrasion. In particular, the protective
pad may be one that is also capable of absorbing moisture, such as
sweat. Alternatively, the forehead section may further comprise an
adhesive layer attached to the side in contact with the patient.
This can be used as a means for attaching the conformable body to
the patient's forehead.
[0025] Thus, the nasal tube holder of the present invention further
comprises at least one means for holding the conformable body to
the patient's forehead. Preferably this is the only means for
securing the device to the patient, and, more preferably, the
forehead section of the conformable body comprises this means. A
variety of different means can be used. For example, if the
forehead section comprises an adhesive layer, as discussed above, a
protective pad can be attached to the patient's forehead, to which
the adhesive layer would then be capable of adhering. As a specific
example of this, a protective pad, such as Tegasorb, may be placed
on the patient's forehead, and a Velcro-type material may be
adhered to the forehead section of the conformable body, enabling
the present device to be secured to the patient.
[0026] As another example, the forehead section may further
comprise a gauze headband, preferably attached to this section of
the conformable body, which could be slipped over the patient's
head. Alternatively, straps attached to the forehead section may be
used that can be joined together to secure the nasal tube holder to
the patient. For example, a strap can be attached to one side of
the forehead section, which can wrap around the patient's head and
be joined to the other side of the forehead section. Also, two
straps may be used, each attached to opposite sides of the forehead
section, that can each be wrapped around the patient's head and
joined together at the back using, for example, a buckle, snap, or
removable or adhesive strip, such as Velcro. These two straps may
also be inserted into slots on opposite edges of the forehead
section. Also, a third strap may be used attached to the top of the
forehead section of the conformable body, or inserted into a slot
located there, that can be wrapped over the patient's head and
joined to the other straps at the back. Such a third strap has been
found to provide improved stability against slipping and twisting,
particular as the patient sleeps. For each of these examples, the
straps or headband can be adjustable to provide a more universal
fit and means of attaching the conformable body to the
forehead.
[0027] The nasal tube holder of the present invention further
comprises at least one means for holding at least one nasal tube to
the conformable body. This means is also capable of holding
multiple nasal tubes. Examples of nasal tubes include naso-gastric
tube (NG tubes), naso-jejunum tubes (NJ tubes), and nasal canula.
Preferably, the nasal tube holder comprises multiple means for
holding the nasal tube to the conformable body, such as two, three,
or four means. These means can be on the nose section, the forehead
section, or both sections of the conformable body. Preferably, the
nose section comprises at least one and preferably two or more
means for holding the nasal tubes, thereby providing better
stabilization of the tubes as they exit the patient's nose. Even
greater stabilization and security can be provided when the
forehead section also comprises at least one means for holding the
nasal tube. Thus, the means for holding the nasal tubes can be
spread along the length of the conformable body, including the nose
section and forehead section. Suitable means for holding the nasal
tube include, for example, removable or adhesive bands, such as
Velcro straps, or elastic bands or ties. Also, the means for
holding the conformable body to the patient's forehead may also
hold the nasal tubes to the forehead section of the conformable
body.
[0028] The nasal tube holder of the present invention may further
comprise at least one cover for the nasal tubes, in order to
provide increased protection of the tubes and the means for holding
the tubes to the conformable body. The cover, which may snap in
place or otherwise be secured to the conformable body, can be on
the nose section, the forehead section, or both.
[0029] The nasal tube holder of the present invention may further
comprise one or more markings to visually confirm that one or more
of the nasal tubes have not inadvertently moved. Such markings
typically coincide with a mark located on the tubes themselves. For
example, the marking may be a simple line stamped or etched into
the conformable body or may be a measuring device, such as a
portion of a ruler, incorporated onto the conformable body, such as
along the edge.
[0030] Specific embodiments of the present invention are shown in
FIG. 1A, FIG. 1B, FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 4A, FIG. 4B, and FIG. 5.
These figures are meant to further clarify the present invention
and are intended to be only exemplary in nature.
[0031] FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B are front and side views, respectively,
of one embodiment of the nasal tube holder of the present
invention. This nasal tube holder comprises a conformable body 10
having a nose section 11 and a forehead section 12. As can be seen
in both figures, nose section 11 has a rounded shape to substantial
conform to the nose of a patient. Also, as can be seen in FIG. 1B,
conformable body 10 has already been conformed to the shape of a
facial profile. This is also true for the embodiments shown in the
figures that follow FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B. The nasal tube holder
further comprises at least one means 13 for holding a nasal tube 1
to conformable body 10 (three bands are shown). Means for holding
conformable body 10 to the forehead of a patient is shown in FIG.
2. For this embodiment, conformable body 10 further comprises a
flexible pad 15 attached to the back (the side to be in contact
with a patient) in order to provide improved comfort and better
fit.
[0032] In FIG. 2, this embodiment of the nasal tube holder of the
present invention is shown worn by a patient. In this figure, two
nasal tubes 1a and 1b are shown. Also, only two means 13 for
holding these nasal tubes to conformable body 10 are shown, rather
than the three shown in FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B. Furthermore, a means
14 for holding conformable body 10 to the patient's forehead
(specifically, a headband) is shown. In FIG. 2, means 14 is also
shown as holding both tubes 1a and 1b in place. A protective pad 16
is also shown behind forehead section 12 of conformable body 10. It
is clear from FIG. 2 that one advantage of the nasal tube holder of
the present invention is that both tubes 1a and 1b are directed
over the patient's head and away from the patient's mouth, keeping
them safe from being inadvertently moved.
[0033] In FIG. 3, another embodiment of the nasal tube holder of
the present invention is shown. This nasal tube holder comprises a
conformable body 30, having a nose section 31 and forehead section
32, means 33 for holding nasal tube 1 to conformable body 30 (three
bands are shown), and means 34 for holding conformable body 30 to a
patient's forehead. Means 34 includes two slots 37 on either side
of forehead section 32, and, inserted into each slot 37 is a strap
38, which would wrap around the patient's head and be secured
there, by, for examples, a buckle, a snap, or a removable or
adhesive strip.
[0034] FIG. 4A, FIG. 4B, and FIG. 5 each show an embodiment of the
nasal tube holder of the present invention in which the length of
the nasal tube holder can be adjusted.
[0035] Thus, in FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B, the nasal tube holder
comprises a conformable body 40, having a nose section 41 and a
forehead section 42, a means 43 for holding nasal tube 1 to
conformable body 40 (three bands are shown), and a means 44 for
holding conformable body 40 to a patient's forehead. Also included
is a flexible pad 45 behind nose section 41. Means 44 includes two
slots, 47 on either side of forehead section 42, and, inserted into
each slot 47 is a strap 48. Also, means 44 includes a removable or
adhesive strip 49a, such as Velcro. As shown in FIG. 4B,
conformable body 40 also includes a matching removable or adhesive
strip 49b, which has a length greater than the width of strip 49a.
Thus, when means 44 is worn by an adult patient, conformable body
40 can be placed on means 44, attaching pads 49a and 49b at a
location to match the length from the patient's nose to their
forehead. When means 44 is worn by a smaller patient, such as a
child, conformable body 40 can also be placed on means 44,
attaching pads 49a and 49b at a different location suitable for
that patient's profile.
[0036] In FIG. 5, the nasal tube holder comprises a conformable
body 50, having a nose section 51 and a forehead section 52, a
means 53 for holding nasal tube 1 to conformable body 50 (three
bands are shown), and a means 54 for holding conformable body 50 to
a patient's forehead. Also included is a flexible pad 55 behind
nose section 51. Means 54 includes an overlapping section 59a while
conformable body 50 comprises a matching overlapping section 59b.
Thus, for this embodiment, nose section 51 and forehead section 52
are joined by overlapping section 59b. As shown in FIG. 5,
overlapping section 59a contains small cylindrical posts (shown as
darkened circles) while overlapping section 59b contains small
holes (shown as open circles) into which these posts can be
inserted. When means 54 is attached to the forehead of an adult
patient, such as with an adhesive, conformable body 50 can be
placed on means 54, with the posts of overlapping section 59a
fitting into the holes of overlapping section 59b, thereby holding
conformable body 50 to the patient. When means 54 is attached to
the forehead of a smaller patient, such as a child, overlapping
section 59b of conformable body 50 can be place on overlapping
section 59a of means 54 at a different location suitable for that
patient. Since conformable body 54 contains only one-piece, no
alignment of separate nose and forehead sections is needed. Means
54 further comprises a cover 5 to further secure conformable body
50 and nasal tube 1 to the patient.
[0037] In addition, in another embodiment, the conformable body
itself may comprise this type of overlapping section, with one of
the overlapping sections being attached to the forehead section and
the other overlapping section being attached to the nose section.
Thus the conformable body would be in two parts, but could still be
conformed to the shape of a patient's face. By inserting one
overlapping section into the other at various locations, the length
of the nasal tube holder can be adjusted. A means for holding this
device, such as a headband, would also be used.
[0038] The present invention further relates to a method for
securing at least one nasal tube to a patient's nose and forehead.
This method comprises the steps of inserting at least one nasal
tube into the patient and attaching the nasal tube holder of the
present invention to the patient. Thus, the conformable body of the
nasal tube holder of the present invention is substantially
conformed to the patient's nose and forehead, the nasal tube or
tubes are attached to the conformable body, and the conformable
body is attached to the patient's forehead. These steps can occur
in any order. For example, alternatively, the nasal tube or tubes
can be attached to the nasal tube holder of the present invention
prior to placing the device on the patient. Then, the conformable
body can be molded or formed to fit the patient and finally secured
to the patient's forehead.
[0039] It has been found that, by using this method and the nasal
tube holder of the present invention, the nasal tubes can be kept
off of the patient's face, maintaining unobstructed access to the
nose and mouth and placing the tubes out of the way, thereby
avoiding inadvertent moving or dislodging of the tubes. Also, this
method and the nasal tube holder of the present invention do not
require the use of adhesives to keep the nasal tubes secure,
thereby avoiding the need for changing or repositioning the
adhesives, which can cause significant skin breakdown and
irritation.
[0040] The foregoing description of preferred embodiments of the
present invention has been presented for the purposes of
illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive
or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed.
Modifications and variations are possible in light of the above
teachings, or may be acquired from practice of the invention. The
embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the
principles of the invention and its practical application to enable
one skilled in the art to utilize the invention in various
embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the
particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the
invention be defined by the claims appended hereto, and their
equivalents.
* * * * *